Terms of Reference

1. Purpose of Committee

1.1 To assist the Council in exercising its functions in relation to the conferral of honorary degrees.

2. Authority and scope

2.1 Honorary Awards Committee does not have any delegated authorities.

3. Membership and term of office

3.1 Membership

Chancellor

Deputy Chancellor

Vice-Chancellor

Chair of Academic Senate

A Deputy Vice-Chancellor

One external member of Council as described in section 9(1)(g) of the Act

Two members of Council who are not members of the Academic staff

Two members of the Academic staff

Where a position is not specified, Committee Members will be appointed by Council.

3.2 Chair of Committee

3.2.1 The Committee Chair is the Chancellor.

3.3 Term of office

3.3.1 Non ex-officio members are appointed for a two-year term.

4. Responsibilities

4.1 Consider and make recommendations to Council with respect to:

a) The approval of nominations for honorary awards;

b) The approval of proposals for the establishment of new honorary awards; and

c) The approval of rules, policy, procedures and guidelines with respect to all aspects of honorary awards. These include, but are not limited to academic dress, privileges, eligibility, nomination and conferral.

d) Consider any other honorary award matters referred to it by the Council, the Chancellor and/or the Vice-Chancellor.

5. Administrative arrangements

5.1 Meetings

5.1.1 The Committee shall meet as required.

5.1.2 A schedule of potential meeting dates will be prepared annually by the Governance Unit and aligned to meetings of the University Council.

5.1.3 The deliberations, recommendations, agenda, papers and Minutes of the Committee are confidential.

5.1.4 Meetings of the Committee shall be conducted in camera.

5.1.5 The Committee may invite such persons as it deems necessary to attend meetings of the Committee.

5.1.6 Meetings may be held using any form of technology that is approved by Council for Council meetings.

5.1.7 A minimum of four Committee members is the quorum.

5.2 Secretarial support, Agendas and Minutes

5.2.1 The University will provide a secretary for the Committee after consultation with the Chair.

5.2.2 Agendas will be approved by the Chair and circulated to Committee members at least one week prior to the meeting

5.2.3 Draft Minutes of Committee meetings will be circulated to Committee members for comment and review within ten working days of the date of the meeting of which they are a record.

5.3 Committee powers

5.3.1 In exercising its responsibilities under Section 4, the Committee may require the production and submission of reports, documents, advice and other additional material as is deemed necessary.

5.3.2 The Committee shall have such resources as are necessary to ensure it can undertake its responsibilities in a timely, independent and efficient manner.

5.4 Conflicts of interest

5.4.1 Committee members must declare any conflicts of interest at the start of each meeting in relation to any item for discussion.

5.5 Reporting requirements

5.5.1 Minutes of the Committee will be reported to Council at the next meeting of Council.

6. Review

6.1 At least once a year the Committee will review its Terms of Reference.